After his party's defeat in the 2002 elections,
Democratic House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (MO) resigned
his congressional leadership post. A more liberal colleague -
Nancy Pelosi (CA) - succeeded him, but not without a challenge
from Harold Ford, Jr. (TN).

Ford, an African-American, represents
a new breed of politician. Only 32 years old, he was born after
the passage of the Civil Rights Act. He recognizes America's past
injustices, but doesn't let them cloud his judgment on present-day
issues. He epitomizes the growing ranks of moderate and conservative
black politicians.

You'd think Ford's quest for his party's
top congressional job would excite black politicians and pundits.
To the contrary. Ford's candidacy mostly elicited disdain among
his colleagues. At a gathering of black pundits in Washington,
Professor Ron Walters of the University of Maryland said of Ford,
"He's too right of center, and he needs to come home."

Just where is this "home," and
is it someplace black America wants its political power concentrated?

In the wake of the Republicans' election
domination, I think Democrats are failing to recognize voting
trends. They are mistakenly running hard and fast to the left.
With Pelosi leading her party in the House of Representatives,
Republicans couldn't be happier. Older black politicians, to their
peril, seem to be running even further to the left.

In post-9/11 America, with our nation
close to war, public opinion is moving right. Polling data shows
the Democrats failed to ignite their base this year, and their
incoherent message lacked appeal. This trend appears to include
black voters. In states such as Georgia and Florida - where black
turnout increased - Republicans won significant local, state and
national victories. In Maryland, black votes are thought to have
been essential to the election of the first Republican governor
in 36 years.

But these trends don't seem to register
among those claiming to be our leaders. At the aforementioned
meeting, Jesse Jackson continued trying to frighten us to gain
support. "Next year, the right wing is going to control the
White House, the House, the Senate and the courts. Virtually every
civil rights remedy will be made illegal next year." He offered
no constructive suggestions, offering only race-baiting and fear-mongering.

"We're not so stupid that we cannot
vote our interests," said National Newspapers Publishing
Association editor-in-chief George Curry of the black electorate.
"Democrats are more in our interests." Curry and the
others seem to think that if you're black and don't vote Democratic,
you're stupid.

A 1996 survey by the Joint Center for
Political and Economic Studies found black Americans were evenly
divided in describing themselves as conservative, liberal and
independent. A Joint Center survey of black elected officials
released this year found that younger black officeholders are
becoming impatient with the liberal status quo and are more interested
in looking at conservative ideas such as school choice and Social
Security privatization than their older colleagues. This bitter
generation gap hurt Harold Ford, Jr. in his leadership race.

Just how conservative is Congressman Ford
anyway? Not very, according to his vote ratings. The Human Rights
Campaign - a homosexual lobby - gave him a perfect rating for
his 2001 votes, while the conservative Family Research Council
rated him at only 42 percent. The radical environmentalists at
the League of Conservation Voters agreed with him 73 percent of
the time in their survey, but the pro-business U.S. Chamber of
Commerce gave him only 55 percent. And the American Conservative
Union gives Ford a 12 percent lifetime rating.

Ford is a loyal Democrat, but he sees
the writing on the wall. In a year when his party lost significant
power - and where his radical Democratic colleagues Cynthia McKinney
(GA) and Earl Hilliard (AL) lost their seats to primary opponents
- he realizes that real solutions, not just party loyalty, is
important to voters. But most of his brethren seem to prefer to
remain comfortably in bed with the left-wing radicals. It appears
as if they've already gone to sleep.

###

(Ak'bar Shabazz, an Atlanta native, is
a member of the National Advisory Council of the African-American
leadership network Project 21. Comments may be sent to [email protected].)

Note: New Visions Commentaries
reflect the views of their author, and not necessarily those of
Project 21.